The most effective conventional gaseous fire extinguishing systems available comprise the HALON class of flame retardants and fire extinguishers, which enjoy wide usage and acceptance within the civilian and military communities. For example, HALON 104 containing carbon tetrachloride (CCl.sub.4) is conventionally used to fight electrical fires. The most effective and widely used fire extinguishing agents contained bromine compounds which thermally decompose in a fire or flame to produce the bromide anion (Br.sup.-) which disrupts the chain reactions involved in the burning process.
However, HALONS are environmentally unacceptable and are believed to cause depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer. Accordingly, the manufacture of HALONS was banned on Dec. 31, 1994 and the manufacture of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) was banned on Dec. 31, 1995.
There is, therefore, an urgent need for effective alternate fire extinguishing systems that do not involve HALONS.